Surjagarh mining pollution clouds WhatsApp group

Nagpur: A war of words on a WhatsApp group of Alapalli traders’ association in Gadchiroli over the dust and pollution due to increased traffic of heavy trucks carrying iron ore from Surjagarh mines has lead to a police complaint. The cops have initiated action against both factions this week. The incident has brought to fore the rift among Alapalli traders, who are divided over support for the iron ore mining on the Surjagarh hillocks near Etapalli.
The matter went to the Aheri police station after Chandra Kishor Pandey, president of the Alapalli Vyapari Association, lodged a police complaint of being harassed and targeted in a Whatsapp group where he is also one of the administrators. Following his complaint, Aheri police issued warning notices to four traders; Arjeet Singh Saluja, Vishesh Bhatpalliwar, Anil Aitawar and Riyaz Khan, under section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Assistant inspector Vijay Chavan said notice has been also served on the administrators of the group, which has 231 members. “We are also issuing notices to both factions asking them to take up their grievances with the concerned departments, but not to create any tension in a public forum,” said Chavan.
The issue has it’s roots in the strike called by the traders’ association last year over the dust rising from the transport of iron ore and the increasing movement of trucks of mining companies ferrying the excavated material. The strike was called off after a couple of days. The representatives of the traders had met the concerned government departments over the issue before calling off the strike.
As the local residents and traders have started reeling under the growing number of mining company trucks and dust cloud, there has been unrest in the taluka.
Saluja, who was one of the traders to receive a notice, said the pollution from the red dust clouds and number of trucks passing Alapalli hs increased to such extent that shopkeepers are losing revenue, and smaller roadside carts and kiosks are wrapping up business. “We had just pointed out in the group that there was a need to meet and decide on the fate of the traders, as our business is in tatters due to heavy dust. Also, the trucks make it almost impossible for the local population to drive safely on the road,” said Saluja, who owns an automobile business in Alapalli.
“Someone started using unsavoury language in the group conversation. Though we were the ones being abused, the notices were issued to us,” said Saluja, adding there is major nexus in the administration in south Gadchiroli in favour of the mining syndicate.
Pandey said group members could have directly told him their grievances by meeting in person, as they meet every day and also play cricket. “There was no need to target and torture me directly in the group. It was harassment meted out on the basis of their own imagination and no evidence,” he said.